When Ah Yuan woke up from his dream, he found himself in a cold and dark room, and the back of his head ached. There are many such abandoned houses in the palace, each of which is full of dust, suppressing the unbearable past. She was a little uncomfortable with the dust, and her heart was just a blank mess.

Silk cloth, mandarin duck hairpin, Hui'an gate...... Scene after scene, the last scene is that he was stunned from behind, and I don't know what will happen next. She vaguely remembered that the silk cloth was written: In front of the key under the gate of the palace...... She glanced at the gloomy night sky outside, and her consciousness instantly sobered up: she didn't go back on time, so what about my sister! My sister must be in a hurry! Will she ......

Ah Yuan tugged at the corners of his skirt with both hands and ran anxiously in the direction of Yuntai Palace.

In the long street in front of Yuntai Palace, she saw a woman wearing a Xuanhu cloak, so delicate and helpless, dragging her feet numbly on the ground. In front of and behind her was the endless darkness of the long street, which surrounded her from all sides, and seemed to engulf her completely.

"Sister." She whispered tentatively.

Yang Muzhi raised her head slightly, like a person who was about to die, looked at her with a sloppy and empty gaze, and muttered: "Child, my child ......"

Only then did Ah Yuan notice that where she went, a dark red stream was left behind, slowly flowing along the cold stone bricks into the distance. So much blood was gradually draining from this person's body with the last trace of her consciousness.

"Sister, don't-" Ah Yuan sobbed silently.

But this time, she would never smile again. Yang Muzhi closed her eyes dejectedly, and a line of tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. Perhaps she had really hoped that she could have a child with Jingzhen and spend the rest of their lives together. However, it was too late, perhaps as early as the drizzle and breeze in Jiangnan that year, or in the night of the red candle in the Suwang Mansion, all the mistakes were already doomed. She regretted, resisted, struggled, and yearned. And now, she is really tired and just wants to get a good night's sleep. Maybe after this New Year, it will be better at a time.

In the early morning of December 29 in the first year of Yuanfeng, a mournful pager sounded in Yuntai Palace: "Lan Guifei Niangniang passed away-"

Ah Yuan didn't remember what the busy imperial doctors said, and he didn't know the emperor's expression when he saw a basin of blood and water coming out of the dormitory, and even forgot how Rushuang, Cai Wei, and Xiao Dezi wept sadly and sadly for those palace people in Yuntai Palace. Those people, those things, are gone with my sister's eternal sleep.

This New Year, the heavy snow fell suddenly for three days, and the Queen Mother said that it was a symbol of the harvest year. The death of the concubine and the emperor's withdrawal from the dynasty for a few days seemed to have just added to the after-dinner conversation of the palace people.

No one knows why Yang Muzhi had a miscarriage, because no one saw where she went. An unusual thing did happen in Hui'anmen that day: Wei Han, the deputy commander of the Gyeonggi camp, whom the emperor valued very much, was confessed to be a fellow of Muslim's rebels. On that day, he tried to sneak into the palace to assassinate, but was discovered by the Imperial Forest Army, and chased him all the way to Chengqing Palace before killing him. But what do these two things have to do with each other? No one can say.

On the sixth day of the first month, the Queen Mother gave Yang a special burial as an imperial concubine.

Ah Yuan did not appear at Yang Muzhi's funeral, she sat alone in the bamboo pavilion in the back garden of Yuntai Palace, holding a piece of silk cloth full of blood characters in her hand.

On the day of her sister's death, she carefully hid this piece of silk cloth, along with the bloody Xuanhu cloak, and the other half of the mandarin duck hairpin, before the imperial doctor and the palace people came. Although people cannot be resurrected after death, the grief after death and the safety of the family are things that she has to worry about for her sister. What's more, this piece of silk cloth may be able to find the real murderer of her sister for her!

In retrospect, the murderer was so carefully arranged, and his sinister intentions were staggering: first, he could use the hands of the Queen Mother to kill people invisibly; What's more, if Yang Muzhi really died with Wei Han that day, the private relationship between the two would be revealed, and if there was no proof of death, the Yang family and the Wei family would be ruined.

Ah Yuan looked at the heavy snow outside the pavilion, tears forced back by the cold wind, she tried her best to suppress the hatred surging in her chest, and examined every trace left on the silk cloth over and over again.

A cold voice suddenly sounded behind him: "Miss Zigong Fengyi today, what are you hiding here?" ”

Ah Yuan turned his head, crumpled the silk cloth in his hand, and stuffed it into his sleeve: "Rushuang, why are you here." ”

Rushuang was dressed in a plain linen dress, her hair was roughly braided with a white rope, and her eyes were red and swollen and dry from crying for too long. Her words changed abruptly: "Why can't I come?" Do you have something unsavvy to hide? ”

Ah Yuan was silent, secretly hesitating, whether to tell what happened that day was like frost. She looked at the bitter hatred in Rushuang's eyes, and she was afraid that she would not be inferior to herself. However, Yuntai Palace has always been heavily guarded, and the silk cloth and hairpin inexplicably appeared in the concubine's bedroom, thinking that it must have been borrowed from the hands of the palace insiders. If Rushuang learns about this matter, with her personality, she will have to make a big fuss in the palace. If this old relationship is exposed to the public, wouldn't it be even worse?

Rushuang saw her eyes flickering, coupled with what she had seen and heard in the past few days, she became more and more sure of her suspicions. Her face was cold, and she asked, "On the day of Miss's accident, you were originally by her side, where did you go?" I heard Cai Wei say, Miss can't find you before she goes out, and then what? What happened? After you came back, you didn't say anything, and you didn't dare to go to the young lady's spirit to offer wine. I know that you just have a ghost in your heart, and you dare not see her! ”

This is not the first time such an aggressive interrogation has been conducted. Ah Yuan looked at her coldly, and his heart was both sore and angry: Why is it that at such a point, the only person who stands on his sister's side still doubts himself? She spoke slowly, and her tone was cold: "You go back, go and see my sister on her last journey." ”

Unexpectedly, he was categorically rejected by Rushuang: "You sue me now, the day after the death of Miss, what did you secretly hide in the back garden and burn?"

Ah Yuan was stunned for a moment, not knowing how to explain it for a while. She did hide in the purple bamboo forest that day and made a fire, and it was the blood-stained Xuanhu cloak that was burned.

Rushuang didn't know her unspeakable secret, so she said angrily: "So you admit it? It was you who hurt Miss, it was you who stole Miss's things, and destroyed the evidence overnight. You did all this qiē, right? ”

Ah Yuan's face turned blue, and she hadn't slept for days, which made her a little dizzy, and she didn't want to argue with Rushuang anymore at this moment. She put down her forehead tiredly, and was about to get up to leave, but she saw Rushuang suddenly rushing up from the bridge corridor and rushing straight over. Ah Yuan was caught off guard, his foot slipped backwards, and he fell to the ground. Rushuang pressed on her, clasped her neck with both hands and said, "I will avenge Miss today and kill you, a white-eyed wolf!" ”

Ah Yuan was strangled by her, and struggled hard: "Rushuang, it's not me...... You calm down......"

Rushuang could not listen to it, and a pair of eyes were like red-hot charcoal, shining with fierce hatred.

At this moment, an exclamation came from not far away: "Oops, what's wrong with the two sisters?" Xiao Dezi hurriedly ran over, pulled the two apart, and squeezed his eyes at Ah Yuan and said, "Girl, let's leave, Sister Rushuang has been sad these days, and she doesn't have to be stunned occasionally, don't go to your heart." ”

Ah Yuan nodded curtly and glanced at Rushuang again. originally respected her loyalty and courage, but he didn't want her to be such a friend or foe, so he couldn't help but sigh again.

For the next few days, she had been studying the silk cloth, but she could not find any useful clues. Seeing that Yang Muzhi was about to pass the three-seventh period, she couldn't live in the palace for a long time, and sooner or later she would have to move to Prince Ke's mansion as promised. On this day, Ah Yuan made up his mind, cut a corner of the silk cloth, and planned to try his luck in Changning Palace.

Seeing her coming, Mai Xiang couldn't help but be a little surprised: "Why is Sister Ayuan here?" ”

Ah Yuan exchanged a few words, then took out the small piece of silk cloth and asked her, "Does my sister know this kind of fabric?" ”

The incense was a little inexplicable, Shang Zi took the silk cloth, looked at it carefully through the light, and said: "It's just ordinary white silk, mostly used to make lampshades and screens, and it is everywhere in the palace." ”

Ah Yuan still refused to give up: "Isn't there anything special?" ”

Zhu Xiang said: "Speaking of which, this should be regarded as the white woven silk of Wuzhou, and the tribute from Jiangnan is not a rare object." The Queen Mother rewarded some of them before, and we all saved some. ”

Ah Yuan sighed gloomily, could it be that my sister's blood feud really had to be silent like this, and there was no trace to be found? Seeing that she was restless and haggard, she insisted on staying in Changning Palace for one night.

That night, Ah Yuan slept very lightly, and when the sky was just dawning, he got up and returned to Yuntai Palace. As soon as I entered the palace gate, I saw Cai Wei guarding the palace gate, her eyes red and swollen like a peach.

"Ah Yuan girl, you're back, something is wrong!"

My sister has passed away, what else can happen to Yuntai Palace? Ah Yuan looked at her puzzled, only to hear Cai Wei crying: "Sister Rushuang is gone!" ”

Ah Yuan froze, shocked by this sudden change, and it took a while to come back to his senses, as if he couldn't believe his ears: "What did you say?" The chill of the morning penetrated into her body, and at that moment she only felt shivering with cold.

Cai Wei sobbed and said: "Xiao Dezi went to clean up the back garden this morning, and found that someone in the purple bamboo forest hanged himself, and when I looked at it again, that person turned out to be Sister Rushuang." She has been overly sad since the mother left, who knew that she would not be able to think about it like this......"

Ah Yuan's mind wandered, recalling that a few days ago she had an argument with Rushuang in the back garden, and she was extremely angry because she didn't distinguish between right and wrong. How can a good person say that if he doesn't, he will be gone? No, there must be something wrong, my sister's revenge has not been avenged, Rushuang is definitely not the kind of person who will seek death!

"Take me to see it."

Fang entered the palace gate, but heard a eunuch behind him say coldly: "Yuntai Palace has a human life, all the palace maids here are brought into the court for temporary detention pending trial, and none of them can be let go!" ”

There was panic all around, and the screams and cries were endless. In less than a quarter of an hour, more than a dozen people up and down the Yuntai Palace, including the Fumei people, were guarded by the guards sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and then taken to the court. On the way, Cai Wei gently grabbed Ah Yuan's hand and said in a low voice: "How can this be, didn't Sister Rushuang commit suicide?" Why did you arrest us and go to the court? ”

Ah Yuan patted the back of her hand with his backhand: "Don't be afraid, it's just a routine question." ”

Except for the Fumei, the rest of the palace maids and chamberlains were locked up in two dark rooms. Seeing that the sky was about to darken, people were taken out one after another for questioning, but no one came back. After about a day and a night, someone finally asked:

"Which one is called Ayuan, the queen mother will interrogate it herself."

Ah Yuan said: "It's me." “

The chamberlain who passed the message was none other than Huang Xuan'er in the queen's palace, and he glanced at her with disdain and said, "Then let's go." At the end, he added: "Killing pays for your life, you have to take it easy." ”

Listening to what he said, there seemed to be something in his words, although Ah Yuan was inexplicable, in the end, he was a pure person, and his heart was also calm. When I arrived at Chengqing Palace, I saw the queen sitting solemnly at the top, and Concubine Min, Concubine Mei, Concubine Rong and others sitting in a dark and oppressive manner, only to realize that something seemed to be wrong.

The queen coughed twice, took the milk tea handed by Yurong and moistened her mouth, and then said slowly: "There have been many things in the palace during the year, and this palace doesn't want to meddle in this matter. It's just that a few days ago, someone made a statement to the palace, thinking that Concubine Lan's death might have another hidden secret. However, before the palace could investigate, the man had found a short sight the day before yesterday. This was a coincidence, and the palace thought about it, but also felt quite uneasy, so he ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to investigate the matter thoroughly. ”

Concubine Rong exclaimed with a slight exclamation: "Could it be that someone wants to kill someone?" ”

The queen said: "The matter has not been investigated clearly, so I am not in a hurry to make a conclusion." The matter is big, and now the emperor has dropped out of the court for many days, and he only asks about the rights and wrongs of the harem, the queen mother is busy with court affairs, and the palace can only summon the sisters to come to discuss. ”

Concubine Mei said gently: "The concubine has been raised in the boudoir since she was a child, and she has never seen such a bloody thing, so I am afraid that she will not be able to share her worries for her mother." ”

Concubine Min smiled, glanced at her and said, "Sister Gui Concubine, this is not appropriate, the sisters sitting here, who is not from the boudoir." I know that you have lived in a simple house for a long time, and this time the queen invited us to discuss the matter, and you don't have to refuse. ”

Ah Yuan knelt under His Royal Highness silently, and suddenly heard the queen ask, "You are the righteous sister of Concubine Lan?" ”

She bowed her head and said, "If you go back to the queen's mother, it is the slave maid." ”

The queen nodded, and said, "Someone has pointed out that you once quarreled with the dead palace maid of Yuntai Palace, resulting in a big fight, but is there such a thing?" ”

Ah Yuan's eyelashes trembled: "The slave maid and Rushuang are sisters, even if there is an occasional quarrel, it is because of a misunderstanding." ”

Concubine Min's eyes lit up and she smiled, "Oh? What kind of misunderstanding, let's hear it. ”

Ah Yuan has always been extremely disgusted with her, so he didn't look at her, but said: "Rushuang once misunderstood that the slave maid did not go to the funeral and did not mourn, so she was a little unhappy." ”

Concubine Min raised her eyebrows and said: "This is strange, everyone in the palace knows that you and the concubine of Yuntai Palace are like sisters, why is it that the concubine is gone now, and I don't see you sad?" ”

Ah Yuan said: "The deceased is gone, whether it is remembrance or remembrance, or whether you have other thoughts, everything lies in the hearts of the people, not on the surface." ”

Concubine Min sighed: "The queen mother, take a look, so that she can speak well, it seems that she will not cry if she doesn't see the coffin." ”

The queen glanced at Yu Rong, Yu Rong clapped her hands twice, and saw that Xiao Dezi was brought to the palace. His clothes were torn, he walked with a limp, and his face was bloodied, as if he had been severely punished.

Xiao Dezi knelt down and said, "The slave knocks on the queen." ”

The queen said, "Say what you have seen again." ”

Xiao Dezi glanced at Ah Yuan worriedly, and said: "On the day of the funeral of the concubine, the slave saw Miss A Yuan quarrel with Sister Rushuang, and then Sister Rushuang threw her to the ground, and pinched her with her hands, saying something like 'kill you'. ”

The queen asked, "Do you know why they are arguing?" ”

Xiao Dezi said: "Minion...... The minions didn't hear clearly. ”

The queen asked again: "Then you point out that Ah Yuan is related to Rushuang's death, do you have any other evidence?" ”

Xiao Dezi shrank and said, "Yes, yes." He gestured sideways, and the chamberlain beside him presented a rain talisman tooth tablet to the queen, and said, "This tooth card was found next to the dead Rushuang, and it was engraved with the name of the licensed palace maid." ”

The queen took the tooth card and looked at it, her face turned gloomy in an instant, and she said awe-inspiringly: "There are all human and material evidence, what else do you have to say?" ”

In the past few days, she was groggy and focused on the silk cloth again, and she didn't even find out when the rain talisman tooth card she was carrying was lost! Ah Yuan broke out in a cold sweat, and thought that he might be able to find Makka as a witness. At the time of the incident, she was in Changning Palace, and she lived with Matsuka, so it was impossible for her to come to Yuntai Palace □□ kill Rushuang. After thinking about it carefully, Makika didn't know the inside story of the matter, if the matter of the silk cloth was confessed smoothly, and the queen continued to investigate carefully, it was very likely that the matter of her sister and Wei Han would also be exposed.

Everyone saw Ah Yuan hesitating again and again, but he never refused to speak out to defend himself.

The queen said: "Now the evidence is conclusive, although I think that you are the sister of the late concubine, in order to stabilize the palace, the palace has to dispose of you according to the palace rules." As for why you killed Rushuang, and what is hidden in it, I can only hand it over to the court for further torture......"

Before she finished speaking, she only heard a clear female voice from outside the hall: "The slave can testify for Ah Yuan, she didn't kill anyone!" ”

The person who came was Yingxiang, she had just hurried from Changning Palace, and she didn't even see the number of courtesies, so she knelt on the ground: "The slave maid asked the queen to take a clear look, Ah Yuan has been with the slave maid last night, it is impossible to go to Yuntai Palace to kill people, and the slave maid can testify." ”

Unexpectedly, Concubine Min glanced at her coldly. Matsuka just looked earnestly at the queen on the phoenix throne, but listened to the queen: "If it's just your words, you can't believe them all, but can others testify?" ”

Zhu Xiang raised his head and said: "Of course there is, it is not a secret that Ah Yuan came to find the slave maid last night, the guards and palace people of Changning Palace have seen it." She only left this morning, and if she doesn't believe it, she can send someone to ask, if the slave maid has any untruths, she is willing to be guilty of the same crime as Ah Yuan! ”

The queen's face turned a little pale, and she asked, "What is she looking for you to do?" ”

Mu Xiang calmed her breath slightly, glanced at Ah Yuan again, and said: "The concubine passed away, and Ah Yuan was misunderstood by her former sisters, and her heart was depressed, so I came to talk to the slave and maid about my heart." ”

The queen seemed to be unconvinced: "That's all? ”

Makika nodded heavily: "If you go back to Niangniang, it's true." ”

This time he was wronged, Ah Yuan was speechless, but unexpectedly, Maki Xiang unexpectedly appeared, gave a helping hand, and did not break the silk cloth. Ah Yuan was very grateful, but he couldn't express it, so he had to give her a little thankful look.

The queen pondered for a moment and asked, "In that case, this palace thinks that Ah Yuan is innocent, I don't know what the sisters think?" ”

For a while, there was no sound in the hall, Concubine Min seemed to be unwilling, but there was nothing to be done, and everyone had to respond.

The queen said: "Then the palace will temporarily shelve the case and hand it over to the internal guard for another investigation, and then retry it at a later date." ”

Although Ah Yuan had escaped, he thought that he was an idler who was about to leave the palace, and he should not be a threat to anyone. Rushuang doesn't know anything, and she is even more innocent. Why did the people behind the scenes refuse to let them go? Could it be that Rushuang discovered some secret, and that person came up with such a poisonous plan to kill people and plant stolen people, killing two birds with one stone, in order to prevent future troubles? The man was hidden in the shadows, extremely thoughtful, and even though she had a desire for revenge, she had no power to fight back. She has no power or power, if she stays in the palace any longer, she is afraid that her revenge has not been avenged, but she has been ordered to go to Huangquan. What about Prince Ke? She smiled secretly, such a transparent person, she can't use it, and she doesn't want to use it.

The road of revenge is destined to be walked by her alone.

Thinking of this, she resolutely bowed down and said: "Queen Mother, the slave maid is willing to invite herself to the Qianshan Imperial Mausoleum and guard the Zi Palace for the noble concubine Niangniang for three years." Please give me permission! ”